Scramblers

KTM LC4 640 Scrambler by Man & the Machines

KTM LC4… the whole Supermoto segment – while being an obvious step up in the evolution of a Scrambler, a vintage offroader born in the 1930’s… Ultra lightweight and versatile… simple, rough and cheap. Often called a “fun bike”… usually has one serious problem: terrible looks.

So naturally – You need a designer and a customizer to fix it… if You care about the appearance.

Krzysztof Szews is a Head of Exterior Geometry for a German car manufacturer. So he certainly knows a thing or two about vehicle design. And after hours he utilises this skill set by building motorcycles… well at least this one: a vintage-inspired scrambler.

He chose 2005 KTM 640 LC4 Supermoto to be the donor bike

Punchy single cylinder engine, fully adjustable suspension, spoked wheels and simple electrics.

Making the supermoto look vintage is not an easy task. The motorcycle is tall, and the frame is purposefully bent in the middle, there is a lot of plastic… it’s 100% function over form.

Kris started the project by stripping down the bodywork and sketching the bike in the Photoshop. The most important part with such a conversion is the tank. Classic, old-school tank makes all the difference. Honda XL250R was chosen to be donor of this element. Some mods were done to it to fit the frame of the KTM. Also, the original radiator needed to make room for the shape of the new tank.

Next was the rear end. Tubular steel subframe was designed – to fit a new seat and fender while keeping the original air box. The seat base was custom made with fibreglass and upholstered with aged leather. Luggage rack just behind it was also Krzysztof’s idea.

A modern technology utilised to build a vintage machine

Front fender is made of aluminium, rear one – old fashioned steel. As the airbox was left in place – there was no option to remove the side covers. Here’s where the job experience pays off. The whole frame of the motorcycle was 3D scanned so that the new components could be designed and 3d printed to fit.

As the donor bike was in good shape – there was no engine rebuilt or restoration process involved. On the mechanical side – only basic service was done. Kris didn’t go for performance mods… other than the exhaust which ends with 2 Spark mufflers.

The rest of the bike – the brakes and the suspension were left stock. The only mod was the tires – a pair of Continental TKC 80 were installed. The tire choice makes all the statement required. It’s a fun bike that is not afraid of getting on the gravel. No question about it.

Other mods include: handmade side guards of the radiator, Motogadget LED turn signals.

Here’s a short video about this build

Regarding the final touch – paint job.

The colour is Land Rover’s “Keswick Green”

Stock sucks and BUILT NOT BOUGHT is what it’s all about!

Photoshop is patient and Kris has a long line of ideas and design sketches waiting to eventually become reality, so make sure to follow his Instagram @manandthemachines.

Not bad for a first build! I wait for more to feature. As if You start this good, in such a niche segment and an exotic donor bike – it can only get better. Kris is also thinking about making his presence in the Internet.

“Man & the Machines is venturing out to create a network in the world of custom motorcycle building. The goal is to create a constantly expanding online platform of lessons and tutorials which will help the passionate garage builder like me to learn from trusted professionals around the world. Top of the line custom bike builders, designers, fabricators, pinstripers, racers and many others share the core essentials of their trades to help you make your personal custom build just that step better.”

Stay touch for more info.

Source: manandthemachines.com | Instagram | Facebook
Outdoor Photos by Marco Lindenbeck
Studio Photos by Philipp Wulk Instagram: @philippwulk